Fair Count
Investigate State Spending on 2020 Census
Hold states accountable for providing adequate resources for an accurate census
Posted May 17, 2023
Background & Context
To boost census participation, state legislatures approved the spending of millions of dollars on state-based outreach, with at least 27 states spending or committing over $316 million.
Immediate Problem
However, despite the investment on paper, it is unclear what states actually spent and how effective their efforts were. For example, states like Georgia initially approved an investment of $3.8 million, but the amount actually spent and how the funds were allocated remains in question (e.g., some reports indicate only $1.5 million was ultimately allocated). This information is not only needed to assess investments in the 2020 Census, but to also inform planning and investments ahead of the 2030 Census.
Work & Deliverables
This project seeks to use open records requests to determine the actual amounts spent in Georgia and other southern states (Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia) that allocated funds for 2020 Census efforts.
Volunteers will draft requests and follow up with government offices to assure compliance with requests. Volunteers need to have some experience with FOIA/state FOIAs. Residence in a state of interest is preferred (and is required to submit requests in some states).
Fair Count
Founded by Stacey Abrams, Fair Count is dedicated to partnering with Hard to Count (HTC) communities to achieve a fair and accurate count of all people in Georgia and the nation in the 2020 Census, and to strengthening the pathways to greater civic participation. The census decides the apportionment of nearly $675 billion dollars per year and is vital in the allocation of these funds for schools, redistricting, healthcare, and so much more. There are many barriers to a fair and accurate count in Georgia including the fact that about 20% of Georgia’s population is HTC. These communities primarily consist of minorities, non-english speakers, renters, and people of low economic status. 2020 is also the first time that the census will be conducted mostly online. Through partnerships with these HTC communities and initiatives to close the digital divide by bringing the internet to HTC communities, Fair Count is on a mission to achieve a fair and accurate account, while also strengthening pathways to greater civic engagement.
Volunteer for this project!
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Fair Count
Founded by Stacey Abrams, Fair Count is dedicated to partnering with Hard to Count (HTC) communities to achieve a fair and accurate count of all people in Georgia and the nation in the 2020 Census, and to strengthening the pathways to greater civic participation. The census decides the apportionment of nearly $675 billion dollars per year and is vital in the allocation of these funds for schools, redistricting, healthcare, and so much more. There are many barriers to a fair and accurate count in Georgia including the fact that about 20% of Georgia’s population is HTC. These communities primarily consist of minorities, non-english speakers, renters, and people of low economic status. 2020 is also the first time that the census will be conducted mostly online. Through partnerships with these HTC communities and initiatives to close the digital divide by bringing the internet to HTC communities, Fair Count is on a mission to achieve a fair and accurate account, while also strengthening pathways to greater civic engagement.